Value computing scale

ABSTRACT

Improved apparatus for weighing and computing a value for articles. An integrated circuit microcomputer is supplied with the gross article weight from a scale and with price per unit weight data from a manual keyboard. Tare weight data may be entered either through the manual keyboard or automatically from the scale. The microcomputer computes a net weight and a value for each weighed article. The net weight, the price per unit weight and the value are indicated on a digital display and may be printed on a label. Filtering circuitry prevents jitter in the article weight supplied from the scale to the microcomputer and the display caused by small vibrations in the article or the scale.

United States Patent [191 Williams, Jr. et al. 1 Mar; 4, 1975 [5 1 VALUE COMPUTING SCALE 3,703,289 /197; Wil1iams,l.lr. et a1 l77/DIG. 3 ,76, 8 19 H t'. ..17725X [75] Invent: wlu'amse Sylvama, 3,770,069 11/1973 1.1 32313 0112 11 177/1 Oh1o; Richard C. Loshbough, Temperance f Edward Primary Eraminer-George H. Miller, Jr. Pryor Toledo Ohm Attorney, Agent, or Firm'l'homas H. Grafton [73] Assignee: Reliance Electric Company, Toledo,

Ohio [57] ABSTRACT 22 Filed; 17 197 Improved apparatus for weighing and computing a value for articles. An integrated circuit microcom- [211 P N04 4611582 puter is supplied with the gross article weight from a scale and with price per unit weight data from a man- [52 U.S. c1 177/25, 177/165, l77/DIG. 1, he! keyhoard- Tare weight data may he entered either 77 1 3 through the manual keyboard or automatically from [51 Int. Cl. G0lg 23/22, G01 g 23/14 the Scale The microcomputer computes a net weight 58 Field of Search 177/1, 25, 165, DIG. 1, and a value for each Weighed article. The net weight, 77 3 the price per unit weight and the value are indicated on a digital display and may be printed on a label. Fil- [56] References Cited tering circuitry prevents jitter in the article weight UNITED STATES PATENTS supplied from the scale to the microcomputer and the display caused by small vibrations in the article or the 3,163,247 12/1964 Bell et a1 177/25 X scale 3,393,302 7/1968 Cichanowicz et a1 3,608,655 9/1971 Ray et a1 177/1 4 chiinls lz llriwi liignres l AR/THMETIC DIGITAL LOGIC MEMORIES 0 UN 1 T l 5 L 1 A5 /6 INTER FAC E AND SCALE 5 INPUT DATA MULT/PLEXER D'SPLAY 7 X PRINTER /3,

KEYBOARD m gu/m" 4:915

MULTIPLE. KEY- CLEAR KEY DEPRESSED"MEMORY SET"KEY FLAG 3.869.005 SHEET 02 W16 CLEAR AND Z3 INITIALIZE SYSTEM SET up TO D0 24 SIX KEY SCANS CIZEAR KEY"F LAG I READ KEY IS "KEY" FLA SET? G 1 /30 INCREMENT CLOSURE COUNT OF KEY DE PRESSD"MEM0RY (00 nor mcnmmmeave 4) READ STATIC INPUTS AND STORE I PATENTEDHAR 3.869.005

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SHEET 110m? 16 IS A FACTOR KEY REQUIRED? j /44 MME'PRICE PER Pounw'mmoav T0 'ourpur" MEMORY m HA 5 A FACTORKEY B-EEN PRESS ED? NET WEIGHT IS FACTOR= 'TIMEs Pmcs Q Movs "PmcE Pea POUND" murmur PRICE 6 MEMORY TO TIMES NET WEIGHT V ouT PUT" MEMORY V I ROUND OFF FINAL RESULT CLEARPRICE were oouo" M e M 0 RY v I Mal E FINAL RE$ULT ;0 To "mu/e aurpurwzm 02v I5 MOT/0N FLAG sEr BLANK "WEIGHT ourpur" ITE-ZI- ssr "vnwe' ourpur"= 45 l5! PATENTEDHAR I 3389.005 SHEEI 116F1=3 J8 l 5 my in v VALUE OUTPUT" CLEARPRINT" FLAG (PRINT ABORTED) SETPRINI" COMMAND" 45/ AND CLEAR' PRINT" FLAG PROCESS OF PRINTING? OUT PUT DATA To IHSPLAY AND PRINTER our pur DATA F0 /64 LIGHTS CLEAR r165 PRINT COMM AND" I TTEFZJ sum 12 us 16 (Lib v F33 .2333

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sum 15 0F 16 Y V- m m H mm a. mm m mm h a M e M. w M n m a 3 1 4 w I 7 3 v 4 M 3 z ,4, a 3 a x 3 x x 3 J g a M Q M, 4 3 Q a, .4 a a 2 3. m a M M .L E E. c: c: :c c: c: I 1 8 248 1248 248 248 1248 48 24 248 2 8 S S S S 3 NW 3 ww W 7 wm m 2 1 \IIIII 33333 23332 5 E1132, n 3333: a, 3 3 3 3 3 3 M h h 32 66 6 \I M Q 3.! w 3 7 /2 9w v N 3 a w W 0 7 1 5C1 MY." 4 8 U 2 m Ac n mum n u n M M 5" mm M M M M w mu u m A H m m HAW W L m m mm m mmw m w m 1 VALUE COMPUTING SCALE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to computing scales and more particularly to an improved computing scale which weighs an article and computes desired data from the article weight such as an article value based upon the article weight and a predetermined price per unit weight.

Computing scales are used in many industries for weighing articles and computing desired data from the article weight. Computing scales are, for example, commonly used in the retail food sales industry for weighing meats, produce and similar articles sold by weight and for computing from the article weight the value of such article based upon a predetermined price per unit weight. The article weight and the computed value are then displayed to the store clerk and to customers and, in some cases, are also automatically printed on an article label.

Computing scales are also used for obtaining data other than the value of articles. Such scales, for example, are sometimes used for obtaining a count of the number of pieces in a container. The scales weigh the number of pieces in the container and divide the measured weight by an average weight per piece for obtaining a piece count. Or, computing scales may be used for obtaining a net weight of a material having a known percentage, by weight, of impurities. For example, if it is known that a particular material has a moisture content of 2% by weight, it may be desired to multiply the measured gross weight from a scale by 98% so that the net or dry weight of the material is indicated.

Computing scales have become very sophisticated and highly accurate with the development of digital computing techniques. Advance computing scales convert a measured gross article weight into a digital format, subsequently convert the digitized gross weight into a digital net weight, and multiply the net weight by a price per unit weight or some other factor in a digital computer. The result appearing at the computer output may then be displayed on a digital readout, such as on Nixie tube readouts or on seven-segment readout devices. In some instances, a record is also printed on the computer output. The recordmay, for example, consist of a label for'application to the article being weighed.

The use of digital techniques and the greatly increased accuracy of modern digital computing scales has accentuated some problems which were generally of little concern in the relatively slow and less accurate prior art analog computing scales. One such problem area is jitter in the measured weight. As used herein,

, weight jitter refers to very small fluctuations or oscillations in the measured weight generally caused by small vibrations of either the article being weighed or the scale. Digital computing scales used for retail sales typically indicate weight to l/ 100th of a pound. At this accuracy, a relatively small vibration may cause the indicated digital weight to jitter between two or more values. This problem is accentuated when an article has a weight between two values. If, for example, an article weighs 9.135 pounds and the scale indicates only to l/ 100th of a pound, the displayed weight will tend to jitter or alternate between 9.13 pounds and 9.14 pounds. This in turn may cause data computed from the article weight to jitter between two values.

Computing scales are generally provided with means for supplying a tare weight to the computer 'for use in determining net weights. In many scales, a separate set of buttons or switches are used solely for tare weight entries. More sophisticated computing scales may measure the tare weight on the scale and automatically enter the measured tare weight when an enter tare" switch is closed. These scales are often provided with a switch for selecting either an automatic mode or a manual mode for entering tare weights. However, the mode selecting switches and the manual tare entry keys are not always convenient and there is a possibility of entering an erroneous tare weight. Furthermore, when the scale is designed to compute values, a separate set of keys or switches has generally been required for entering price per unit weight data. This results in an unnecessary duplication of switches or keys for entering data into the computer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, apparatus for weighing and digitally computing a value for articles is provided with improved circuitry for filtering weight signals to eliminate the effects of jitter and with improved circuitry for entering digital tare weight data in either manual or automatic operating modes. A digital scale is connected through an interface to provide gross weight data to an integrated circuit microcomputer. A digital keyboard is also connected to the interface for supplying both price per unit weight data and tare weight data to the microcomputer. The keyboard also includes a tare entry key. The apparatus is designed such that if the tare entry key is pushed within a predetermined time interval after a digit key has been pushed, the microcomputer recognizes the digit only as a tare weight digit. If the tare entry key is not pushed within the time interval, the digit is recognized only as a price per unit weight digit. Thus, the entered digit is no longer recognized as a tare digit but remains stored as a price per unit weight digit. 1f the tare entry key is pushed when a digit key had not been pushed within the preceding predetermined time interval, the current weight on the scale is entered into the microcomputer as the tare weight. The microcomputer computes a net weight for an article placed on the scale from the measured gross weight and the tare weight and subsequently computes a value from the net weight and the price per unit weight. The net weight, the price per unit weight and the value are then supplied to a digital display and, optionally, to a label printer.

The keyboard also may be used for entering fractional price data. For example, the entered price may be per V2 pound or per A pound." When fractional prices are entered, the microcomputer normalizes the price data to a price per unit weight prior to computing a value. The price data is normalized by multiplying the entered fractional price by a factor. If an entered price is, for example, per A pound, it is multiplied by a factor of four to obtain a price per pound.

The digital weight data from the scale is filtered to eliminate jitter or any ambiguity between adjacent digital increments. The measured gross weight is periodically compared with a filtered weight which is used by the microcomputer for computing the net weight and the article value. If the compared weights differ by more than a predetermined amount, a motion signal is generated and the filtered weight is revised to the value 3 of the measured gross weight. If they differ by less' than the predetermined amount, a counter is incremented. The counter is cleared whenever thetwo weights are equal or the filtered weight is revised. The filtered weight is also revised when the counter reaches a predetermined count. Thus, if jitter causes the measured gross weight to alternate between two adjacent values, e.g., 9.13 pounds and 9.14 pounds, and the filtered weight is one of these values, e.g., 9.13 pounds, then the counter will never be incremented to the predetermined count. The displayed weight and the weight used for computing a value will then remain constant. The motion signal, which may be used to blank the weight display and/or to inhibit a printer, is extinguished when the filtered weight and the measured gross weight are equal for a predetermined number of successive comparisons.

Accordingly, it is a preferred object of the invention to provide improved apparatus for weighing and computing a value for articles.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved circuitry for filtering weight data from a digital scale to prevent jitter and ambiguities between adjacent weight increments.

Still another object of the invention is to provide improved circuitry for manually or automatically entering tare weight data into a scale system.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, with reference being made to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION or THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of apparatus for weighing and computing a value for articles embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2, which consists of FIGS. 2A through 2J, is a flow diagram showing the operation of apparatus for weighing and computing a value for articles according to the present invention;

FIG. 31s a detailed schematic logic circuit diagram of one embodiment of the translator portion of a scale for use in apparatus for weighing and computing a value'for articles according to the present invention;

FIG. 4. is a schematic logic circuit diagram of a keyboard and data input multiplexer for. use in apparatus for weighing and computing a value for articles according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a detailed schematic logic circuit diagram of a data processor, digital memories and interface for use in apparatus for weighing and computing a value for articles in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a detailed logic circuit diagram of a digital display for use in apparatus for weighing and computing a value for articles according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a logic circuit diagram of a modified embodiment of apparatus for manually or automatically entering tare weight data into a scale system in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a logic circuit diagram of apparatus for filtering digital weight data according to the present invention to prevent ambiguities between adjacent weight increments.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Turning now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, a block diagram is shown of apparatus 10 for weighing and computing a value for articles embodying the principles of the present invention. The apparatus 10 includes a scale 11 for supplying a weight signal in a digital format to interface and input data multiplexer circuitry 12. Data is also applied from a keyboard 13 to the interface and multiplexer 12. From the interface and multiplexer 12, the scale and keyboard data passes to a data processor 14 which includes an arithmetic logic unit 15 and one or more digital memories 16. The scale 11 and the keyboard 13 supply gross weight data, tare weight data and price data to the data processor 14. The arithmetic logic unit 15 subtracts the tare weight from the measured gross weight for an article to obtain a net weight. If necessary, the price data is normalized and the net weight is subsequently multiplied by the price per unit weight for obtaining a value for the weighed article. The net weight data, the price data and the computed value are then passed through the interface 12 to a digital display 17 and also may be supplied to an optional printer 18 for use in printing a label for the weighed article.

The apparatus 10 is designed to provide a maximum degree of accuracy in the measured article weight and the computed value. The possibility of an erroneous data entry from the keyboard 13 caused, for example, by contact bounce, is minimized by repeatedly scanning the keyboard 13 at a relatively fast rate. Data is stored in the memory 16 only after the data is received from the keyboard 13 for a predetermined number of successive scans, such as three successive scans at a rate of one scan each 15 millisecond.

Data from the scale 1 1 is also filtered to minimize the effects of jitter or ambiguities between two adjacent weight increments caused by vibration of the scale or an article on the scale. The arithmetic logic unit 15 uses a filtered weight value stored in a portion of the memory 16 for computing the net weight and the article value. The digital output applied from the scale 11 to the interface and multiplexerlZ is periodically scanned and compared with the stored filtered weight. If the two weights differ by more than a predetermined amount, a motion signal is generated and the filtered weight is revised to the value of the measured gross weight from the scale 11. If they differ by less than the predetermined amount, a counter within the arithmetic logic unit 15 is incremented. The counter is cleared whenever the two weights are equal or the filtered weight is revised. The filtered weight is also revised to the measured gross weight when the counter reaches a predetermined count, such as two or three. The motion signal, which may be used to blank the weight shown on the digital display 17, to inhibit a value computation, and to prevent the printing of a label by the printer 18, is extinguished when the filtered weight and the measured gross weight are equal for a predetermined number of successive comparisons. Thus, if the output from the scale 11 alternates on successive cycles between two numbers such as 9.13 pounds and 9,14 pounds and the filtered weight stored in the memory 16 is 9.13 pounds, the counter will be alternately incremented and cleared as the weight jitters between the two values. Since the counter is not incremented up to the predetermined count, the filtered weight remains constant at 9.13 pounds and ambiguities in the weight supplied to the arithmetic logic unit 15, to the digital display 17 and to the printer 18 are eliminated.

The tare weight may be suppliedto the data processor 14 either in an automatic mode from the scale 11 or in a manual mode from the keyboard 13. The keyboard 13 includes a tare entry key which must be actuated each time a tare weight is entered into the data processor 14. The keyboard 13 also includes a set of ten digit keys for supplying data through the interface and multiplexer 12 to the data processor 14. When a digit key on the keyboard 13 is pushed, the digit is stored in both a price portion of the memory 16 and in a temporary tare weight portion of the memory 16. At the same time, a timer is started for measuring a predetermined time interval which is generally on the order of one to two seconds. If the tare entry key is then pushed before the measured time interval has elapsed, the price memory is cleared and the number stored in the temporary tare memory is shifted into a second tare weight memory for use by the arithmetic logic unit in computing a net weight. The display 17 will then show the manually entered tare weight as a negative value until an article is placed on the scale 11. If the tare entry key is not pushed, the temporary tare memory will be cleared when the timer shuts off after measuring the predetermined time interval and the entered number will be used only as a price digit. If, on the other hand, the tare entry key is pushed and the timer is not currently on, the digital output from the scale 11 will be stored in the tare weight memory for use in computing a net weight. Since the gross weight and the entered tare weight are now equal, the net weight shown on the display 17 will be zero. A container or package placed on the scale 11 for obtaining the tare weight may then be filled with one or more articles for which a value is to be computed.

The keyboard 13 may also include additional keys which are used for fractional pricing, for selecting a prepack mode of operation, for clearing all data entered into the memories 16 and for activating the printer 18. In the fractional pricing mode of operation, entered price data will be considered by the data processor 14 as a price per fractional unit weight such as $1.19 per pound or $1.19 per Va pound. If the price isper Va pound, the arithmetic logic unit 15 multiplies the entered $1.19 by two and uses the resulting $2.38 per pound for computing a value. Similarly, if the price is per 3 pound, the arithmetic logic unit 15 multiplies by a factor of four. During normal operation of the apparatus 10 in, for example, a delicatessen, it may be desirable to clear the digital memory 16 each time an article is removed from the scale 11. Thus, new tare weight data and price data must be entered for each article for which a value is to be computed. During the normal mode of operation, the price and tare memories are cleared each time the weight output from the scale 11 goes above a predetermined weight for a predetermined time and then falls below the predetermined weight. However, at times it may be desirable to use the apparatus 10 for preparing labels for a series of identical articles, such as packages of swiss cheese, all of which have the same price per unit weight and the same tare weight. A prepack key is provided on the keyboard 13 for selecting the operating mode of the apparatus 10. When the apparatus 10 is in the prepack mode of operation, the memories 16 will not be cleared when an article is removed from the scale 11. Thus, the entered tare weight data and price data are maintained from article to article. In addition, government regulations commonly prohibit the use of fractional pricing for articles which are prepackaged and labeled. Therefore, when the apparatus 10 is in the prepack mode of operation, operation of the fractional pricing keys on the keyboard 13 is inhibited.

Prior to considering the detailed circuitry for the apparatus 10 for successively weighing and computing the value of a plurality of articles, attention is directed to FIGS. 2A through 2J which show a flow diagram for a preferred operating sequence of the apparatus 10. The flow diagram consists of a series of blocks in the shape of diamonds or rhombuses and rectangles. Each diamond corresponds to a question having either a yes or no answer which may be asked by conventional logic circuitry in the microcomputer 14. Each rectangular block corresponds to the performance of a specific function such as storing a value in a memory or causing a label to be printed. In reading the flow diagram, entry is made to the top or left of a block and the logic flows downwardly and to the right. The numbers placed in the circles to the top and left of the blocks represent input locations. For example, the A2 in in a circle on the left of the flow diagram in FIG. 2A represents an input to the second block from the top in sheet A of FIG. 2. The numbers in the circles to the right of or below the blocks in the flow diagram represent an output connected to a different location in the flow diagram. For example, the circle below the block 33 at the lower right of FIG. 2A is designated to B1." This indicates that a jump is made from this block to the input to the first block in sheet B of FIG. 2.

Referring now to FIG. 2A, the flow diagram is initially entered through an A1 input to a block 23 at which the apparatus 10 is cleared and initialized in preparation for weighing and computing a value for an article. The block 23 and an A2 input are connected to a block 24 at which the data processor 14 prepares to do six scans of the keyboard 13. The block 24 and an A3 input are connected to a block 25 in which a key" flag is cleared. As used herein in discussing the flow chart of FIGS. 2A through 2J, a flag indicates a latch, a flip-flop or a bit stored in amemory to indicate the occurrence or non-occurrence of a condition. The key flag, for example, indicates that a key on the keyboard 13 has been depressed. The block 25 and an A4 input are connected to a block 26 in which the keyboard 13 is scanned to read any depressed key. From the block 26, a check is made to see if a key is actually depressed during a scan at a block 27. If not, a jump is made to an A10 input, while if a key is depressed a check is made to see if the key flag is set at a block 28. If the key flag is already set, it indicates that multiple keys on the keyboard 13 are simultaneously depressed and a key depress memory is cleared at a block 29 and the logic jumps to an All input. If a key was depressed and the key flag was not set, the block 28 is connected to a block 30 at which the key flag is set. After the key flag is set, the key depress memory is incremented at a block 31.

According to the following described embodiment of the apparatus 10, a key must be recognized as being depressed for three successive scans before data is entered into the memory 16. The key depress memory in- 

1. A weighing and computing scale comprising, in combination, integrated circuit microcomputing means including an arithmetic logic unit, a sequence controller and data registers, weighing scale means for generating gross weight data, data input means having a plurality of digit keys for sequentially entering data into said weighing and computing scale, buffer and memory means for receiving tare weight data and gross weight data from said scale means and price data from said digit keys on said data input means and functioning as an interface with said arithmetic logic unit, said buffer and memory means receiving and storing tare weight data selectively from said scale means and said digit keys on said data input means, the tare weight data, the gross weight data and the price data being related to each of a plurality of successive weighed articles, and digital display means for visually indicating the price data, computed net weight data and value data computed from such data, said sequence controller causing said arithmetic logic unit and registers to compute the net weight and the value of the weighed articles and controlling the supplying of such computed net weight and value And the price data through said buffer and memory means to said display means.
 2. A weighing and computing scale, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sequence controller includes means for causing said buffer and memory means to periodically scan said data input means for data, means for comparing data received from said data input means on successive scans, and means for causing said buffer and memory means to store price and tare weight data from said data input means only after such data is received on a predetermined number of successive scans.
 3. A weighing and computing scale, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said data input means includes a tare key, and including timing means for measuring a predetermined time interval, means responsive to the closure of any of said digit keys for starting said timing means to measure such predetermined time interval, means responsive to the closure of said tare key for causing said buffer and memory means to store a tare weight, such stored tare weight comprising data received from said digit keys when said tare key is closed while said timing means is on and comprising weight data received from said scale means when said tare key is closed while said timing means is off.
 4. A weighing and computing scale, as set forth in claim 1, and further including means for digitally filtering gross weight data from said weighing scale means to reduce jitter, and wherein the net weight is computed from the filtered gross weight data. 